History

After the breakup of his band DeYarmond Edison, the ending of a relationship, and a bout with mononucleosis hepatitis,[7] Vernon left Raleigh, North Carolina, and moved back to Wisconsin. He spent the oncoming winter months at his father's cabin in Dunn County, Wisconsin. According to Vernon, it was during this time that the "Bon Iver" moniker first entered his mind; while bedridden with mononucleosis, he began watching the 1990s TV series Northern Exposure on DVD. One episode depicts a group of citizens in Alaska, where the show is set, emerging from their homes into the first snowfall of the winter and wishing one another bon hiver (pronounced [bɔn‿ivɛːʁ], French for "good winter"). This was initially transcribed by Vernon as "boniverre"; however, when he learned of its proper French spelling, he elected not to use it, deciding "hiver" reminded him too much of liver, the site of his illness at the time.[7] In his person production he uses an array of tools ranging from synths such as Dave Smith's Prophet 8 to Steinway & Sons Model D Concert Grand Piano.[8]

2006-2010: For Emma, Forever Ago

Vernon did not intend to write or record any music during the time but rather to recuperate from the events of the previous year. Eventually, however, a record began to evolve during this cathartic time of isolation.[9] He had recently finished helping the band The Rosebuds do some recording and had with him some basic recording gear when he made his move to the cabin in late 2006. Vernon played all the instruments during recording and each song was heavily edited with a large number of overdubs. Vernon wrote the lyrics for the album by recording a word-less melody and listening to the recording over and over while writing words according to the sound of the syllables of the melody.[10] In an interview, Vernon said, "Words like 'decision' and 'intention' aren't words that float in my head because I just went." Vernon explains, "I left North Carolina and went up there because I didn't know where else to go and I knew that I wanted to be alone and I knew that I wanted to be where it was cold."[11] In another interview, Vernon describes what he used to record the album: "I had a very light set-up, a basic small recording set-up: a Shure SM57 and an old Silvertone guitar. I had my brother drop off his old drums... some other small things – things I would make or find lying around."[12]

The record was almost not released and was originally intended as a group of demos to be sent out to labels and potentially rerecorded. But after getting very encouraging reactions from a number of his friends, Vernon decided to release the songs himself in their present state.[10] According to his manager Kyle Frenette, an initial run of 500 CDs were pressed.[13] The original CD release show took place at the House of Rock in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Justin played an earlier "all-ages" show and an evening 21+ show to release the original pressing of the album in its card stock CD case. Of the 500 copies issued, 17 were sent to press, mainly blogs.[13] The first significant attention the album received was from My Old Kentucky Blog in June 2007, after which point "it snowballed," according to manager Frenette.[13] Another further breakthrough came when, in October 2007, the album received a very positive review from influential indie internet publication Pitchfork. That exposure in turn led to a performance the same month at the industry showcase festival CMJ Music Marathon. The appearance attracted a lot of label interest and Frenette later told HitQuarters that they subsequently spoke to a lot of different record companies, both independent and major.[13] Out of all of them they decided to sign with the indie Jagjaguwar because their ideals were the closest match to their own.[13] The signing was confirmed on October 29.[14]

For Emma, Forever Ago was given an official release by Jagjaguwar.[15] Vernon has said that he will continue to make albums without engineers and producers because he is capable of doing it all himself.[10]

The digital download track "Skinny Love" was selected to be iTunes (UK) single of the week and was available for free during that time, as well as being featured as the track of the day on National Public Radio. Bon Iver was ranked number 8 on Last.fm's most listened to new music of 2008.[20] Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago was ranked number 29 in Rolling Stone's list of the Top 50 Albums of 2008, and was also ranked number 92 on their list of the 100 Best Albums of the 2000s. In an interview, Vernon said: "I'm really humbled by everything and am keeping things in perspective."[21] On May 19, 2008, "Blindsided" and "Flume" were featured in The CW series One Tree Hill.[22] On October 6, 2008, "Skinny Love" was featured in the NBC series Chuck (season 2, episode 3).[23][24]

2011-2012: Bon Iver, Bon Iver

Bon Iver, Bon Iver was released on June 17, 2011. On March 23, 2011, Justin Vernon told Rolling Stone that a follow-up of For Emma, Forever Ago would be released in December 2011. The album is composed of 10 songs and takes a new musical direction: "I brought in a lot of people to change my voice — not my singing voice, but my role as the author of this band, this project," says Vernon, who hired well-known players like bass saxophonistColin Stetson and pedal-steel guitarist Greg Leisz. "I built the record myself, but I allowed those people to come in and change the scene." The second album is described as an "ambitious musical departure" from the first.[34] Prior to the album's release, Vernon said that each song on the new album represents a place. The song "Perth" was described as a "Civil War-sounding heavy metal song," the song "Minnesota, WI" was described as featuring "finger-picked guitars, double bass drums and distorted bass saxophone," and the closing song "Beth/Rest" would be "horn heavy."[35]

The album was recorded in a remodeled veterinarian clinic in Fall Creek, Wisconsin, which was bought by Vernon and his brother in 2008. It was converted into April Base Studios, built mainly over the defunct swimming pool attached to the clinic. Vernon's reason for recording in the location was that "[it's] been a wonderful freedom, working in a place we built. It's also only three miles from the house I grew up in, and just ten minutes from the bar where my parents met."[36]

On April 20, Bon Iver announced details of the release through the official Jagjaguwar and 4AD websites.[37] The artwork for the album was also released, painted by the American artist Gregory Euclide.[38] Gregory also released two YouTube videos entitled the Making of Bon Iver Album Art.[39][40]

Over one month before the album release date, the album was accidentally made available for purchase on the iTunes Music Store on May 23. Apple removed the item from the store, but not before a handful of users were able to purchase and download it. There was no comment from Apple, the artist, or his label.[41] However, the lyrics to the album were promptly uploaded to their record site.[42]

In an interview on 89.3 The Current, front man Justin Vernon was questioned about current plans for the band and expressed their desire to take a break:

[We're] winding it down. I look at it like a faucet. I have to turn it off and walk away from it because so much of how that music comes together is subconscious or discovering. There’s so much attention on the band, it can be distracting at times. I really feel the need to walk away from it while I still care about it. And then if I come back to it – if at all – I'll feel better about it and be renewed or something to do that.[43]

During the last performance of their 2012 tour in Dublin's The O2, Vernon announced that it was their last performance as a band, "... at least for a while..." At the time, these two events provoked speculation about whether this was a definite end to the band or simply a hiatus. A representative for Bon Iver's label, Jagjaguwar, issued the statement, "They are just going off cycle after two very busy years on this record."[44]

Reception

Josh Jackson reviewed Bon Iver for Paste, saying, "It retains the beautiful melancholy of For Emma, but in nearly every way, it’s just more. More layered, more diverse, more interesting. He brings in collaborators to do what they do best, but never at the expense of his sound and vision. It treads into new sonic directions without getting lost." He gave the album a score of nine out of ten.[45]

On February 12, 2012, Bon Iver won the Grammy for Best New Artist.[49] Bon Iver also won the Grammy for Best Alternative Album for Bon Iver, Bon Iver, beating out Radiohead, Death Cab for Cutie, Foster the People and My Morning Jacket.[4]

On February 15, 2012, a five-song studio session was released on YouTube, featuring Justin Vernon and Bon Iver drummer Sean Carey performing piano renditions of the tracks. The recording took place at AIR Studio owned Lyndurst Hall in London, England.

2012-present: Hiatus, Wish I Was Here, and 22, A Million

On November 12, 2012 the band announced its intent to take a break from performing after the last event of its 2012 tour in Dublin.[50] Their label asserted that the band had not broken up.

On June 30, 2014, the band released a new song titled Heavenly Father, which was featured on the soundtrack of Zach Braff's film Wish I Was Here.[51]

On July 18, 2015, the band played their first show in almost three years at the Eaux Claires Music Festival in Eau Claire, WI where they debuted two new songs.[52]

On November 18, 2015, the band announced a tour of Asia starting early 2016.

On July 22, 2016, a 22-second live stream was broadcast on the band's official Facebook page, accompanied by the caption '#22days'. A short clip of previously unreleased music can be heard in the video, accompanied by an updated profile and cover photo.

On August 17, 2016, the band announced that their next album's title would be 22, A Million, with a release date of September 30, 2016. They also provided a track list of 10 songs and released lyric videos for two songs: "22 (OVER S∞∞N)" and 10 dEATh bREasT. On August 29, 2016, the band released their lyric video for 33 "GOD", the third single from the album.

22, A Million was indeed released on September 30, 2016. It was noted by many as a large stylistic shift for the band. In Pitchfork's review of the album, the publication likened it to Radiohead'sKid A, saying, "Bon Iver’s first album in five years takes an unexpected turn toward the strange and experimental. But behind the arranged glitches and processed voices are deeply felt songs about uncertainty."[6]

Carey approached Vernon during one of the first Bon Iver shows, telling him he could play and sing all the songs. Thereafter, the two played a number of them together.[53] McCaughan and Vernon met while on tour with indie-rock band The Rosebuds in May 2007.

From left to right: Noyce, Carey, and Vernon performing at The Fillmore in 2009

Because of the extensive use of vocal harmony on the songs of For Emma, Forever Ago, Vernon was concerned that there would not be enough voices to duplicate the sound of the songs on the album in a live setting. To compensate for this problem in early performances, Vernon passed out lyrics for some songs to the audience to sing along to. In an interview with Pitchfork, Vernon described this dilemma. "I don't want to be the guy with an acoustic guitar singing songs, because that's boring for the most part. The song actually needs 80–500 people singing or whatever the vibe is of that room, it needs that fight."[2]

During Bon Iver's Asia tour in late February to early March 2016 - the first tour since 2012 - the live band still consisted of Vernon, Carey, McCaughan and Lewis, in addition to frequent Vernon collaborator Andrew Fitzpatrick (All Tiny Creatures, Volcano Choir) on guitar, synths and vocals; and sisters Emily, Jessica and Camilla Stavely-Taylor, also known as the folk vocal trio The Staves, whose album If I Was was produced by Vernon.[54][55]